BabyMitchy

Car accident.

I was affected by a car accident. A guy in front of me turned left into oncoming traffic and got knocked into me. (I was in line to turn, not moving whatsoever.) Now my car is messed up and its not getting fixed.

I can't go into details why but I could not stay at the scene even though I was a bystander in the accident. I had my reasons.

Couldn't you still put in an insurance claim despite leaving the scene? Somebody hit you, and nobody is going to dispute that. If it wasn't your fault and you don't have a frequent history of turning in claims, they shouldn't raise your rates.

My rate will go up. + $500.00 deductible. The damage is less than that. Anyone else agree? totaling the car in a legit scenario is best. Death = better than owing the remainder of the car. Seriously. life sucks.

[QUOTE=ArchieRoni;bt35048]Couldn't you still put in an insurance claim despite leaving the scene? Somebody hit you, and nobody is going to dispute that. If it wasn't your fault and you don't have a frequent history of turning in claims, they shouldn't raise your rates.[/QUOTE]

I was thinking along these lines too... but it seems as though there's something that can't be said here, to explain it more clearly to us...
Otherwise, I can't see why he may have gone to jail anyway... especially when his vehicle was stationary, in a proper turn-lane... :dunno:
-Marka

[QUOTE=BabyMitchy;bt35049]My rate will go up. + $500.00 deductible. The damage is less than that. Anyone else agree? totaling the car in a legit scenario is best. Death = better than owing the remainder of the car. Seriously. life sucks.[/QUOTE]

I understand that a bit better... you owe on the vehicle... to a financial institution?

I don't know about Pen. But here, a bank mandates full coverage insurance... they want their investment covered... once the car is titled to you... do what you want, so long as it fits the minimum state requirements for coverage... usually some sort of liability insurance... no matter the value of the vehicle...

Also, as this was a [I]not-on-your-fault[/I]... It seems that you should be entitled to some compensation from one or both the other insurance carriers... which may cover the 5-bill deductible??

Marka, a $500 deductable isn't owed to the bank, it just means the insurance company won't pay anything unless the damage exceeds $500. Deductables are a form of self-insurance: if the damage is below the deductable, you have to pay for all of it. Most insurance companies offer a lower monthly rate in exchange for a higher number on the deductable, since it means they get fewer claims and have to process fewer small payouts.

[QUOTE=ArchieRoni;bt35052]Marka, a $500 deductable isn't owed to the bank, it just means the insurance company won't pay anything unless the damage exceeds $500. Deductables are a form of self-insurance: if the damage is below the deductable, you have to pay for all of it. Most insurance companies offer a lower monthly rate in exchange for a higher number on the deductable, since it means they get fewer claims and have to process fewer small payouts.[/QUOTE]

I get that... and thank you!

What about [QUOTE]It seems that you should be entitled to some compensation from one or both the other insurance carriers... [highlight]which may cover the 5-bill deductible??[/highlight][/QUOTE]

When someone hit me, I was charged a $500 deductible. I contacted his insurance company and they reimbursed me for it as it was his fault. My insurance rate did not go up. The guy at fault's insurance company, even if it wasn't $500, should have covered your damage, imo. You should have stayed.

Like Archie said, perhaps you can file a police report and possibly be able to claim collateral damage and get a settlement. Did anyone take any pictures that showed your car?

1. At that point, he's guilty of "leaving the scene". The cost of legal entanglements clearly trump any possible insurance payment. Its all water under the bridge now unless one of the other collision 'participants' decides to turn him in for some reason, ie, being identified as a witness.

2. auto insurance rules vary considerably from state to state. i don't know Pennsylvania laws, so I don't know what, if anything he could have collected even if he had stuck around. Maybe everything, maybe nothing.